The present invention relates to connector bodies for providing a predetermined alignment of a plurality of connector pins. More particularly, the present invention relates to a connector body having a snap rail feature for providing simultaneous secondary locking of all the connector pins received therewithin.
Connector bodies are utilized for facilitating electrical connections at various junctures of electrical systems. In this regard, each connector pin of a plurality of connector pins is uniquely received in a respective connector receptacle of the connector body, wherein each connector pin enters its respective connector receptacle from a rearward end of the connector body and, upon being fully seated, is held therein by a primary lock. A secondary lock is then actuated to assure the connector pin remains seated in its respective connector receptacle. An example of a secondary lock is a button lock is depressably pushed through an aperture in the connector body so that an abutment feature thereof interferingly engages a respective connector pin to thereby secondarily restrain axial movement of the connector pin in its respective connector receptacle. In this regard, each button lock of a plurality of button locks must be independently depressed.
Accordingly, what remains needed in the art, is a connector body having a secondary lock mechanism for connector pins which is easy and simply operated and is actuated for a plurality of connector pins simultaneously.
The present invention is a snap rail pivotally connected to a connector body for providing simultaneous actuation of button locks of connector pins discretely received within respective connector receptacles of the connector body.
The connector body according to the present invention has a plurality of connector receptacles arranged side-by-side horizontally and respectively defined by receptacle walls. Each connector receptacle has a first engagement feature for interferingly engaging a second engagement feature of a respective connector pin seated therein. The combination of the first and second engagement features collectively provide a primary lock for primarily retaining each connector pin in its respective connector receptacle.
The connector pins have an abutment feature for secondarily restraining it from axial movement in the connector receptacle in response to a tip of a button lock being received into the respective connector receptacle. In this regard, an upper side of the connector body is provided with a plurality of button ports, one button port respectively for each connector receptacle, wherein the respective button lock enters therethrough and the tip thereof interferingly engages the abutment feature. The combination of the button lock and the abutment feature collectively provide a secondary lock for secondarily retaining each connector pin in its respective connector receptacle.
The snap rail according to the present invention is pivotally connected to the upper side of the connector body transversely in relation to the orientation of the connector receptacles. The snap rail is integrally formed of the connector body, whereby pivoting is accomplished by flexing of a plurality of pivot arms. Each of the button locks is connected to the snap rail so that the tip thereof adjoins its respective button port when at an undeployed state of operation, and is fully received thereinto when at a deployed state of operation.
According to the preferred embodiment of the snap rail, a depression pad is provided at a central portion thereof for a user to press upon and thereby simultaneously press all the button fingers fully into their respective button ports. Further according to the preferred embodiment, each finger button adjacent the depression pad interferingly engages the connector body to thereby lock the snap rail in the deployed state of operation, wherein the remaining button fingers do not engage the connector body.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a snap rail for a connector body, wherein the rail unites a plurality of button fingers so that all are operatively deployed simultaneously.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a snap rail for a connector body, wherein one tool is used for manufacture and no side coring is required in the tool.
These, and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.